diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/config.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/config.sgml
index a5cd4e44c7..caf958310a 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/config.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/config.sgml
@@ -2079,6 +2079,32 @@ include_dir 'conf.d'
       </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
 
+     <varlistentry id="guc-max-total-backend-memory" xreflabel="max_total_backend_memory">
+      <term><varname>max_total_backend_memory</varname> (<type>integer</type>)
+      <indexterm>
+       <primary><varname>max_total_backend_memory</varname> configuration parameter</primary>
+      </indexterm>
+      </term>
+      <listitem>
+       <para>
+        Specifies a limit to the amount of memory (MB) that may be allocated to
+        backends in total (i.e. this is not a per user or per backend limit).
+        If unset, or set to 0 it is disabled.  A backend request that would push
+        the total over the limit will be denied with an out of memory error
+        causing that backends current query/transaction to fail. Due to the dynamic
+        nature of memory allocations, this limit is not exact. If within 1.5MB of
+        the limit and two backends request 1MB each at the same time both may be
+        allocated exceeding the limit. Further requests will not be allocated until
+        dropping below the limit. Keep this in mind when setting this value. This
+        limit does not affect auxiliary backend processes
+        <xref linkend="glossary-auxiliary-proc"/> . Backend memory allocations
+        (<varname>backend_mem_allocated</varname>) are displayed in the
+        <link linkend="monitoring-pg-stat-activity-view"><structname>pg_stat_activity</structname></link>
+        view.
+       </para>
+      </listitem>
+     </varlistentry>
+
      </variablelist>
      </sect2>
 
diff --git a/src/backend/storage/ipc/dsm_impl.c b/src/backend/storage/ipc/dsm_impl.c
index 269ad2fe53..808ffe75f2 100644
--- a/src/backend/storage/ipc/dsm_impl.c
+++ b/src/backend/storage/ipc/dsm_impl.c
@@ -253,6 +253,10 @@ dsm_impl_posix(dsm_op op, dsm_handle handle, Size request_size,
 		return true;
 	}
 
+	/* Do not exceed maximum allowed memory allocation */
+	if (op == DSM_OP_CREATE && exceeds_max_total_bkend_mem(request_size))
+		return false;
+
 	/*
 	 * Create new segment or open an existing one for attach.
 	 *
@@ -524,6 +528,10 @@ dsm_impl_sysv(dsm_op op, dsm_handle handle, Size request_size,
 		int			flags = IPCProtection;
 		size_t		segsize;
 
+		/* Do not exceed maximum allowed memory allocation */
+		if (op == DSM_OP_CREATE && exceeds_max_total_bkend_mem(request_size))
+			return false;
+
 		/*
 		 * Allocate the memory BEFORE acquiring the resource, so that we don't
 		 * leak the resource if memory allocation fails.
@@ -718,6 +726,10 @@ dsm_impl_windows(dsm_op op, dsm_handle handle, Size request_size,
 		return true;
 	}
 
+	/* Do not exceed maximum allowed memory allocation */
+	if (op == DSM_OP_CREATE && exceeds_max_total_bkend_mem(request_size))
+		return false;
+
 	/* Create new segment or open an existing one for attach. */
 	if (op == DSM_OP_CREATE)
 	{
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/activity/backend_status.c b/src/backend/utils/activity/backend_status.c
index 17a00587f8..9137a000ae 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/activity/backend_status.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/activity/backend_status.c
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@
  */
 bool		pgstat_track_activities = false;
 int			pgstat_track_activity_query_size = 1024;
+/* Max backend memory allocation allowed (MB). 0 = disabled */
+int			max_total_bkend_mem = 0;
 
 
 /* exposed so that backend_progress.c can access it */
@@ -1253,3 +1255,107 @@ pgstat_report_backend_mem_allocated_decrease(uint64 deallocation)
 	beentry->backend_mem_allocated -= deallocation;
 	PGSTAT_END_WRITE_ACTIVITY(beentry);
 }
+
+/* ----------
+ * pgstat_get_all_backend_memory_allocated() -
+ *
+ *	Return a uint64 representing the current shared memory allocated to all
+ *	backends.  This looks directly at the BackendStatusArray, and so will
+ *	provide current information regardless of the age of our transaction's
+ *	snapshot of the status array.
+ *	In the future we will likely utilize additional values - perhaps limit
+ *	backend allocation by user/role, etc.
+ * ----------
+ */
+uint64
+pgstat_get_all_backend_memory_allocated(void)
+{
+	PgBackendStatus *beentry;
+	int			i;
+	uint64		all_backend_memory_allocated = 0;
+
+	beentry = BackendStatusArray;
+
+	/*
+	 * We probably shouldn't get here before shared memory has been set up,
+	 * but be safe.
+	 */
+	if (beentry == NULL || BackendActivityBuffer == NULL)
+		return 0;
+
+	/*
+	 * We include AUX procs in all backend memory calculation
+	 */
+	for (i = 1; i <= NumBackendStatSlots; i++)
+	{
+		/*
+		 * We use a volatile pointer here to ensure the compiler doesn't try to
+		 * get cute.
+		 */
+		volatile PgBackendStatus *vbeentry = beentry;
+		bool		found;
+		uint64		backend_mem_allocated = 0;
+
+		for (;;)
+		{
+			int			before_changecount;
+			int			after_changecount;
+
+			pgstat_begin_read_activity(vbeentry, before_changecount);
+
+			/* Ignore invalid entries, which may contain invalid data.
+			 * See pgstat_beshutdown_hook()
+			 */
+			if (vbeentry->st_procpid > 0)
+				backend_mem_allocated = vbeentry->backend_mem_allocated;
+
+			pgstat_end_read_activity(vbeentry, after_changecount);
+
+			if ((found = pgstat_read_activity_complete(before_changecount,
+													   after_changecount)))
+				break;
+
+			/* Make sure we can break out of loop if stuck... */
+			CHECK_FOR_INTERRUPTS();
+		}
+
+		if (found)
+			all_backend_memory_allocated += backend_mem_allocated;
+
+		beentry++;
+	}
+
+	return all_backend_memory_allocated;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Determine if allocation request will exceed max backend memory allowed.
+ * Do not apply to auxiliary processes.
+ */
+bool
+exceeds_max_total_bkend_mem(uint64 allocation_request)
+{
+	bool result = false;
+
+	if (MyAuxProcType != NotAnAuxProcess)
+		return result;
+
+	/* Convert max_total_bkend_mem to bytes for comparison */
+	if (max_total_bkend_mem &&
+		pgstat_get_all_backend_memory_allocated() +
+		allocation_request > (uint64)max_total_bkend_mem * 1024 * 1024)
+	{
+		/*
+		 * Explicitely identify the OOM being a result of this
+		 * configuration parameter vs a system failure to allocate OOM.
+		 */
+		elog(WARNING,
+			 "request will exceed postgresql.conf defined max_total_backend_memory limit (%lu > %lu)",
+			 pgstat_get_all_backend_memory_allocated() +
+			 allocation_request, (uint64)max_total_bkend_mem * 1024 * 1024);
+
+		result = true;
+	}
+
+	return result;
+}
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/misc/guc.c b/src/backend/utils/misc/guc.c
index 9fbbfb1be5..ab8d83c235 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/misc/guc.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/misc/guc.c
@@ -3664,6 +3664,17 @@ static struct config_int ConfigureNamesInt[] =
 		NULL, NULL, NULL
 	},
 
+	{
+		{"max_total_backend_memory", PGC_SIGHUP, RESOURCES_MEM,
+			gettext_noop("Restrict total backend memory allocations to this max."),
+			gettext_noop("0 turns this feature off."),
+			GUC_UNIT_MB
+		},
+		&max_total_bkend_mem,
+		0, 0, INT_MAX,
+		NULL, NULL, NULL
+	},
+
 	/* End-of-list marker */
 	{
 		{NULL, 0, 0, NULL, NULL}, NULL, 0, 0, 0, NULL, NULL, NULL
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/misc/postgresql.conf.sample b/src/backend/utils/misc/postgresql.conf.sample
index 90bec0502c..8e944f6511 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/misc/postgresql.conf.sample
+++ b/src/backend/utils/misc/postgresql.conf.sample
@@ -155,6 +155,9 @@
 					#   mmap
 					# (change requires restart)
 #min_dynamic_shared_memory = 0MB	# (change requires restart)
+#max_total_backend_memory = 0MB		# Restrict total backend memory allocations
+									# to this max (in MB). 0 turns this feature
+									# off.
 
 # - Disk -
 
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/mmgr/aset.c b/src/backend/utils/mmgr/aset.c
index c91f8efa4d..ac9a1ced3f 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/mmgr/aset.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/mmgr/aset.c
@@ -428,6 +428,10 @@ AllocSetContextCreateInternal(MemoryContext parent,
 	else
 		firstBlockSize = Max(firstBlockSize, initBlockSize);
 
+	/* Do not exceed maximum allowed memory allocation */
+	if (exceeds_max_total_bkend_mem(firstBlockSize))
+		return NULL;
+
 	/*
 	 * Allocate the initial block.  Unlike other aset.c blocks, it starts with
 	 * the context header and its block header follows that.
@@ -720,6 +724,11 @@ AllocSetAlloc(MemoryContext context, Size size)
 	{
 		chunk_size = MAXALIGN(size);
 		blksize = chunk_size + ALLOC_BLOCKHDRSZ + ALLOC_CHUNKHDRSZ;
+
+		/* Do not exceed maximum allowed memory allocation */
+		if (exceeds_max_total_bkend_mem(blksize))
+			return NULL;
+
 		block = (AllocBlock) malloc(blksize);
 		if (block == NULL)
 			return NULL;
@@ -911,6 +920,10 @@ AllocSetAlloc(MemoryContext context, Size size)
 		while (blksize < required_size)
 			blksize <<= 1;
 
+		/* Do not exceed maximum allowed memory allocation */
+		if (exceeds_max_total_bkend_mem(blksize))
+			return NULL;
+
 		/* Try to allocate it */
 		block = (AllocBlock) malloc(blksize);
 
@@ -1133,6 +1146,10 @@ AllocSetRealloc(void *pointer, Size size)
 		blksize = chksize + ALLOC_BLOCKHDRSZ + ALLOC_CHUNKHDRSZ;
 		oldblksize = block->endptr - ((char *) block);
 
+		/* Do not exceed maximum allowed memory allocation */
+		if (blksize > oldblksize && exceeds_max_total_bkend_mem(blksize - oldblksize))
+			return NULL;
+
 		block = (AllocBlock) realloc(block, blksize);
 		if (block == NULL)
 		{
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/mmgr/generation.c b/src/backend/utils/mmgr/generation.c
index 36e5b3f94d..1d5720836c 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/mmgr/generation.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/mmgr/generation.c
@@ -192,6 +192,9 @@ GenerationContextCreate(MemoryContext parent,
 	else
 		allocSize = Max(allocSize, initBlockSize);
 
+	if (exceeds_max_total_bkend_mem(allocSize))
+		return NULL;
+
 	/*
 	 * Allocate the initial block.  Unlike other generation.c blocks, it
 	 * starts with the context header and its block header follows that.
@@ -361,6 +364,9 @@ GenerationAlloc(MemoryContext context, Size size)
 	{
 		Size		blksize = required_size + Generation_BLOCKHDRSZ;
 
+		if (exceeds_max_total_bkend_mem(blksize))
+			return NULL;
+
 		block = (GenerationBlock *) malloc(blksize);
 		if (block == NULL)
 			return NULL;
@@ -464,6 +470,9 @@ GenerationAlloc(MemoryContext context, Size size)
 			if (blksize < required_size)
 				blksize = pg_nextpower2_size_t(required_size);
 
+			if (exceeds_max_total_bkend_mem(blksize))
+				return NULL;
+
 			block = (GenerationBlock *) malloc(blksize);
 
 			if (block == NULL)
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/mmgr/slab.c b/src/backend/utils/mmgr/slab.c
index efc8bcfaa7..5cf0cfff86 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/mmgr/slab.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/mmgr/slab.c
@@ -177,6 +177,10 @@ SlabContextCreate(MemoryContext parent,
 	headerSize += chunksPerBlock * sizeof(bool);
 #endif
 
+	/* Do not exceed maximum allowed memory allocation */
+	if (exceeds_max_total_bkend_mem(headerSize))
+		return NULL;
+
 	slab = (SlabContext *) malloc(headerSize);
 	if (slab == NULL)
 	{
@@ -331,6 +335,10 @@ SlabAlloc(MemoryContext context, Size size)
 	 */
 	if (slab->minFreeChunks == 0)
 	{
+		/* Do not exceed maximum allowed memory allocation */
+		if (exceeds_max_total_bkend_mem(slab->blockSize))
+			return NULL;
+
 		block = (SlabBlock *) malloc(slab->blockSize);
 
 		if (block == NULL)
diff --git a/src/include/utils/backend_status.h b/src/include/utils/backend_status.h
index 9bdc4197bd..3b940ff98e 100644
--- a/src/include/utils/backend_status.h
+++ b/src/include/utils/backend_status.h
@@ -270,6 +270,7 @@ typedef struct LocalPgBackendStatus
  */
 extern PGDLLIMPORT bool pgstat_track_activities;
 extern PGDLLIMPORT int pgstat_track_activity_query_size;
+extern PGDLLIMPORT int max_total_bkend_mem;
 
 
 /* ----------
@@ -321,6 +322,7 @@ extern int	pgstat_fetch_stat_numbackends(void);
 extern PgBackendStatus *pgstat_fetch_stat_beentry(int beid);
 extern LocalPgBackendStatus *pgstat_fetch_stat_local_beentry(int beid);
 extern char *pgstat_clip_activity(const char *raw_activity);
+extern bool exceeds_max_total_bkend_mem(uint64 allocation_request);
 
 
 #endif							/* BACKEND_STATUS_H */
